Harvard Athletes on and off the Field - Fall Issue

October 12, 2006

At Harvardwe are used to hearing about student-athletes who set themselves apart from the rest of us. We might hear of the swimmer who speaks five languages, the golfer who has sailed around the world, or the field hockey player who is destined to be a great neurobiologist. Every so often, however, an athlete comes along who manages to go above and beyond the rest—a person who makes even the most successful individual experience a combination of both envy and admiration. Meet: Noah Van Niel—your local poetry loving-humanitarian inclined-star fullback who also happens to be an unbelievably talented…opera singer?

That’s right, there appears to reside within our midst a Madame Butterfly trapped in football pads. Head Harvard Football Coach, Tim Murphy, labels Van Niel a “trueRenaissance Man… even at a place like Harvard he distinguishes himself as a very interesting and amazing kid.” Although football has consumed the majority of his time while at Harvard, Van Niel could have easily chosen to go to a conservatory and focus primarily on his musical talents. Instead he chose a place where great music and athletics were only two of many opportunities offered.At Harvard, Van Niel has been able to pursue his wide range of interests and talents to a much greater extent.

Growing up in Newton, Massachusetts, Van Niel played a number of different sports including soccer and basketball. He distinguished himself as one of the top swimmers in the Northeast between the ages of 13 and 14 years old and even recognizes some rivals from his youth on the current Harvard swim team.However, despite his gifts as a swimmer, it was football that really captured his attention. As Van Niel recalls, “It was really what my body was best built for and suited for and ultimately where my passion was. I loved playing these other sports but there was just something about football and the intensity and the toughness and the physicality of it that I really enjoyed.”

Starting in seventh grade (“I was too big for Pop Warner,” Van Niel jokes”), Noah quickly emerged as a standout fullback and became a three-year starter on Newton North’s high school team as well as an all-city selection. Although his father, Anthony Van Niel ’74, played soccer for the Crimson during his time atHarvard, Noah claims to have felt no pressure to play the legacy card: “[my parents] just told me-- go and follow your passions and interests, and wherever that leads you… great.”

Now in his third year as a Crimson football player, Van Niel has proven himself to be a worthwhile addition to the team and has caught the eye of Coach Murphy, who remarked: “Noah was not necessarily a top recruit but has forced his way to the top of the depth chart—almost willed it to happen—through hard work and very few mistakes.” According to Van Niel’s best friend since elementary school, Peter Mayers, this has always been Noah’s MO:“Even at a young age Noah demanded people’s attention. Not only because he was louder and bigger than everyone else, but because his drive, and intensity, and incredible gifts made him stand out.”

Long before Van Niel began standing out on the football field, however, he was busy developing a very different talent—singing. “My mom likes to take credit for it because she says she liked to play opera when I was in the womb to help calm her down.” Although he was exposed to great operas like La Traviata from a young age, Van Niel’s voice was not mature enough to sing opera yet, so he beganauditioning and starring in musical theater. Headlining one of the foremost theater programs in the Northeast at Soon football began competing for Van Niel’s attention, but he was able to keep his priorities balanced while excelling on both the field and stage. Perhaps this is due to the parallels Van Niel draws between athletics and musical performance: “In terms of the preparation, you spend so much more time preparing for [the game] than actually performing it which is the same thing as in music.”The same way an athlete might spend time running drills or lifting weights, a singer will practice scales or work on specific techniques. Van Niel also acknowledges that the need to be calm under pressure when on the stage has helped his mentality on the football field.

One of the things Van Niel has enjoyed most about his Harvard teammates since joining the team is their understanding and interest in his unusual passion. While he may receive the occasional barb in the locker room, Noah says one of the greatest things about Harvard is that, “We don’t have ‘dumb jocks’ here who just play football and that’s all they do. These guys are interested in other things—they’re intelligent, they can appreciate an opera or a piece of art. Obviously there aren’t any other opera singers on the team but there are other people who do other things.”

When he got to Harvard in the fall of 2004 he had no trouble connecting with other gifted musicians who, like Van Niel, most likely could have gone to the musical conservatory of their choice had they not preferred the option of a liberal arts education. Van Niel was especially drawn to the Dunster House Opera Society, which is the only all-undergraduate opera house on campus. Now the president, Van Niel says he has loved being surrounded by people who love opera and love to perform opera, but he still holds no regrets over not choosing to go toa music conservatory: “I think it would be too limiting to have just a music education. There is so much richness to the world—which is enhanced by the musical aspect—but not strictly limited to that.”

While Noah has been enjoying his decision to go to a liberal arts college, he has not ruled out the option of an operatic career in the future. In fact, there are many who believe he could be successful should he ever choose go in that direction. One such person is his music teacher of almost six years,

Boston University’s Director of Opera Programs, Sharon Daniels, who had this to say about Van Niel: “In my 20-year experience of auditioning, working with, and teaching young singers, I find him to be among a handful of truly exceptional talents…. Noah's unique vocal talent along with his intellect, love of languages, musicality, and personal depth as a human being, give him the potential of becoming a truly great artist.”

Oh yeah, and was it mentioned yet that on top of all of this incredible talent he is a really great person as well? As if he did not have enough on his plate already,Van Niel lists his community service projects at the Phillips Brooks House Association as equally important to any of his musical or athletic activities. As Coach Murphy remarked, “Not only is he a great athlete and very musically talented, but he also gives as much time to community service—more than just about anyone else on our team.” This past summer Van Niel devoted his time teaching an ESL (English as a Second Language) course to high school age immigrants and refugees who are from inner-city Boston. For three hours a day every Monday through Friday, Van Niel would work with these kids in an effort to help them function more successfully in society. It seems difficult for him to understand how someone could not be drawn to help those in their surrounding community. “If you can help change someone else’s life for the better—whether they be underprivileged or right here at Harvard—then I consider it a real challenge and a duty of every human being to do so, not just the ones who happen to go to the best university in the world… but especially those.”

Van Niel’s kindness and compassion for those around him have not gone unnoticed. Whenever people are asked to comment on Noah’s extensive list of accomplishments, they tend to remark instead primarily on what an exceptionally sensitive and considerate person he is. As Mayers points out, “Although focused on achieving his goals, he fiercely loves his family and friends. To this day, he still doesn't mind kissing his family in front of his buddies.”Noah credits this to beinga very religious person who has been given so many blessings and gifts in his lifetime that he feels there is no excuse for not sharing his joy with those around him. Van Niel’s Harvard roommate, Kieran Burke, adds: “He is one of the most down to earth people I know…. The thing that amazes me the most about him is his ability to stay disciplined and work hard at all of his interests yet stay relaxed and happy.”

So what’s next for Noah? In addition to continuing his career as a Crimson football player, Van Niel plans to write an English concentrator’s thesis examining either an opera or the works of his four favorite British poets. From there, Noah hopes to apply to graduate schools with opera programs and begin pursuing his dream of a career in music. Regardless of the actual steps he chooses to take, it is not a question of whether Van Niel will succeed in life—it is a question of how many people he will influence along the way. Should he ever achieve his ultimate dream of singing in the “Superbowl of opera” at the Metropolitan Opera —we can only hope to reserve a seat in the front row and say, “we knew him when.”

September 25, 2006

Dependable. Durable. Tough.Every word used to characterize Harvard’s senior star running back and co-captain, Clifton Dawson, seems as though it could be used in an ad for a Ford pick-up truck.The main difference is that Ford is lagging, while Clifton Dawson’s stock is on the rise.Dawson has already shattered every single-season and career rushing record that Harvard keeps, and he still has a full year to go.In fact, Dawson is only 925 yards short of the all-time Ivy League career rushing record of 4,715 yards, a mark that has stood unrivaled for 35 years, set by Cornell’s Ed Marinaro in 1971.Additionally, this season, Dawson looks to lead the Harvard football team to an Ivy League championship, an accomplishment that would be a fitting conclusion to his remarkable collegiate career.

Despite being arguably the best running back in Harvard’s history, Dawson would be the last to boast about his records and accolades.“He is unassuming and unpretentious…he’s not flashy, he’s just tough,” asserts former Harvard offensive lineman, Will Johnson ’06, “He’s not the type to care about records, or the number of carries, or the number of yards.The most important record to Clifton is the Win-Loss record.” Dawson’s opponents would be wise not to mistake his quiet, low-key demeanor as a sign of weakness.Certainly, his hard-nosed play talks for him.Dawson has accumulated over 1000 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns in each of his three seasons at Harvard, being named to three consecutive All-Ivy League First Teams in the process.

This year, The Sports Network has named him a First-Team Preseason All-American and, so far, Dawson has lived up to the hype.Dawson’s consistent domination has inspired awe in both his teammates and coaches alike. Remarks head coach Tim Murphy, “Clifton is one of the toughest, most durable, and most productive players (at any position), that I have ever been around.He makes everyone around him better.”Quarterback Chris Pizzotti echoes Murphy’s sentiment, “The hype is well deserved… Clifton is tough and dependable.You can always count on him when you need a big play.”

In the team’s first game, Dawson demolished Holy Cross, rushing for 170 yards and 3 touchdowns on the way to a Harvard victory, and was named Ivy-League player of the week for the seventh time in his career. It is clear that Dawson’s performance on the field is vital to the team’s success, but in addition to that, his teammates will look for him to fill a greater leadership role this season.Having always led quietly by example, Dawson now seems to have grown into a more assertive leader. “He’s really stepped up this year and been more vocal.He’s always had the respect and admiration of the younger players, so when he gives advice, they listen,” explains Pizzotti.

Undeniably, Dawson has always fostered respect in those around him.Johnson states, “I respect the way he plays the game: tough as nails.He brings it all to the table every Saturday and does some amazing things.Even opposing team’s players will shake their heads after he does something and say, ‘geez, that guy’s good.’”

However, impressing his teammates, coaches, and opponents is not Dawson’s objective, rather, it is merely the unavoidable byproduct of his performance and gritty attitude.Indeed, Dawson emphasizes that his primary goals for this season are not of a personal nature. “I’d like to end my career with an Ivy League championship, but more than that, I’d like to enjoy my senior season with my teammates, and give the entire Harvard community something to be proud of.”

Already exhausted from a demanding schedule of academic classes, a Crimson Summer Academy Scholar touches the ball down for her third try of the afternoon.The All-American jersey that Tim Naylor had given her drapes well below her knees as she stops to catch her breath. She runs back with a big grin on her face to tell all the boys she had just burnt for the score how she is going to play rugby in college.

Rugby is one of the many activities taught by Naylor in his “International Sports” class at the Crimson Summer Academy.The CSA is designed to help talented yet underprivileged high school students from the Boston area get access to and prepare for the higher education. The program was created from an initiative by Harvard President Larry Summers during the summer of 2004.It started with thirty high school sophomores and the next summer increased it incrementally increased to include 30 juniors.This summer, the academy looks to reach its intended full capacity of 90 students, with seniors attending courses at the Harvard Summer School for credit.

Crimson Mentors like Naylor, are Harvard students who help teach academic courses and counsel the students throughout the entire year.They are also asked to design mini-courses to help relieve some of the stress that accumulates after a tough day of classes.Each student gets one daily free period for which they pick the mentor-lead course of their choosing.“I was asked to make a sports class because of my coaching background,” explains Naylor.“I wanted to give the students a chance to run around, as well as an intellectual perspective on sports and its role in other cultures.”

Tim has taught the “International Sports” class since the academy’s inception in 2004, and it has been a wild success both summers.Students play everything from soccer to cricket, and usually sign up for the class multiple times per session. “[Tim’s] International Sports class has always been one of the academy’s most popular classes,” exclaims CSA Director Maxine Rodburg. She estimates that about four out of every five students in the academy have taken Naylor’s class.Although many students have chosen to take his class, Tim’s own decision to come to Harvard and to ultimately stay here was not as clear cut.

Naylor is a native of Penarth, a small town just outside of Cardiff in Southeastern Wales. Rugby is at the center of Welsh culture and Tim threw his first rugby ball at the age of five.Tim joined his first club at the age of ten and has never stopped playing since.As he recalls, “I started playing rugby competitively in middle school.My dad had always played, everyone in Wales played, I played.In Wales, we have mandatory physical education classes similar to those in America—except we learned how to play rugby.”He was selected to the Wales Rugby League Under-16 National Team while at St. Cyres Comprehensive School, where he also captained the First XV his junior and senior seasons.

While St. Cyres was well-regarded in Wales for its rugby program, the school’s reputation was not particularly academic.Tim looks back and recalls, “I didn’t know what I was getting myself into when I turned up to take the SAT’s with a pencil in hand. I was relieved when the test turned out to be multiple choice.”Nonetheless, Naylor excelled academically and eventually became Head Boy at St. Cyres.He credits much of his success to his history teacher, who motivated him to do well in school and apply to good colleges.

Tim told only his immediate family and history teacher after he had submitted his application to Harvard.The modest Naylor wasn’t keen on gloating, and also had no idea whether he’d get in. “When I got in, it was a big deal in Wales. No one from my school, or I think from any state school in Wales, had ever gone before.”With the help of scholarships and student loans, he was able to make Harvard a reality.Tim thought he’d be leaving his rugby ambitions in Wales to pursue academic ones in America; little did he know he would be able to fulfill both aspirations.The transition across the Atlantic would just be a lot harder than he had expected.

Freshman fall at Harvard did not go smoothly for Naylor.Within the space of one month, he lost both his grandfather and a close friend.Meanwhile, he had a tough time adjusting to the cultural differences between Harvard and his hometown in Wales.Tim was not having fun and felt out of his element because of the social differences.“I couldn’t get used to the lack of a social center,” Tim remembers.“I come from a culture where the social life revolved around the local pub and I expected ‘uni’ life to reflect that.I’m sure there are many other Europeans who felt the same way.”At Christmas, Naylor nearly packed all of his belongings to head home because he did not feel comfortable.Fortunately, with the support of his best friends and several upperclassmen he had met through the rugby team, Tim decided to finish out the year.He then experienced a spring semester that was completely unlike that of the fall.

In the spring of 2003 the Harvard Rugby Football Club qualified for the National Sweet Sixteen.Over a span of two weeks, the Crimson went from being the 15th seed to advancing to the championship game.Tim reflects, “I was blown away by the coverage of the game by CSTV and the crowds at Stanford for all of our games.We were the Cinderella story and we came within ten minutes of pulling it off.”Harvard narrowly lost to Air Force in the final 37 to 45, with both teams trading scores in the second half.His parents flew in from Wales to watch him play and Tim shined in the final with a three try performance.After that, everything took off for Tim.He captained the North-Eastern Rugby All-Star Team and was selected as an All-American, an honor he has received every season since.Everything just seemed to have fallen into place for Naylor: “I have never looked back and have enjoyed [Harvard] ever since.”

The summer after freshman year, Tim took a job as a bartender back in Wales.As an All-American, he had to travel back to the states in order to practice with the team as they prepared to tour in New Zealand.He actually spent more money traveling that summer than he earned working.When sophomore summer rolled around, Tim needed a job that would enable him to stay in the states while giving him the flexibility travel with the All-American team and train with a local men’s club.

When Tim interviewed for a job at the Crimson Summer Academy, he knew that he had found the ideal summer job. “I applied for the CSA because the position really suited me. I had an interview with [the CSA Director] Maxine and she absolutely blew me away. She is one of the most amazing and inspirational people I have ever met and I immediately knew that the program was going to be special.”Tim had volunteered as a junior soccer in Cambridge and back in Wales, and had always enjoyed taking a role-model position.Plus, because the CSA was affiliated with Harvard University, it meant that Tim could work in the states under his visa restriction.He was able train with the Boston Irish-Wolfhounds in the evening and travel with the All-American team as they toured Canada in 2004.

On top of administering a tough academic curriculum, the CSA aims to educate the Crimson Scholars about the role of the public citizen in society.By exposing the students to diverse cultures and people from different backgrounds, the academy hopes that the students will be able to better relate to the community in which they live.Tim hopes that his story and similar aspirations have given these students a unique perspective and motivation to maximize their potential; he wants to give the students the same support he was given by his history teacher at St. Cyres. CSA’s Director Maxine Rodburg claims, “[although] the phrase 'role model' is over-used, [Tim’s] commitment and dedication to our students gives those words genuine meaning.”

Tim also possesses an innate ability to connect to the students.CSA’s Manager of Mentor and Student Affairs Jamie Horr explains, “We have a large community of students and mentors, all with different needs, and Tim is able to navigate this territory with ease because he has an amazing sense of people. He listens to students in ways that provide opportunities for them to open up and be who they are, knowing they will not be judged, but rather truly respected.”He is also a leader by example; Tim has never been a bragger or a boaster.Be it on the rugby field or in a CSA classroom, Tim has always stepped up and filled a leadership role.His ability to listen, humility, and genuineness of character enables him to connect with everyone he works with.These are the reasons why he was elected captain of the Harvard rugby team during his junior and senior seasons, just as he was at St. Cyres.They are also why his fellow mentors voted him as their speaker at last year’s end-of-session celebration.

For Tim though, the academy has also been a learning experience.“These students have impacted my life tremendously,” he explains.“They are impressive young adults already and inspire me to try and make more of what I have. It certainly keeps you grounded, since the Harvard bubble often makes you forget what exists outside of the square.”Tim has even been taught a lesson or two in basketball and baseball by the students in the program.

After graduation in May, Tim will return to the CSA as its oldest scholars begin attending summer school courses at the college.In his spare time from the CSA, Naylor plans to assist a former Harvard rugger coach a newly formed rugby team at the Cambridge Ringe and Latin School.He is also starter for the Boston Irish Wolfhounds and wants to help them pursue a national title.Beyond that, Tim is undecided.“I gave up on a rugby career when I came to Harvard, and it’s interesting how I’m considering the same decision once again.”It’s funny how things end up.